The things I do for love
“The things I do for love”
I remember the time I heard these lines from the lips of Jamie Lannister, and then the shove. That was the day I decided that I hate Jamie Lannister more than anyone in the entire universe of Game of Thrones. He pushed a 8 year old boy out from the window of a high tower all the while dripping his charisma through the words “The things I do for love”.
Bran, the broken though ended up being the lord of seven kingdoms, king of the andals and the first men and the protector of the realm. There was nothing to be loved about Jamie at all. He was not responsible at all, a king slayer who killed his own king, made Ned Stark prisoner, pushed Bran off the tower, and yes didn’t have any single shame while strangling his own cousin, murdering the son of Lord Karstark just to get out of that prison where he knew he wouldn’t be killed by the starks.
In my second run of GOT however I felt different. Jamie Lannister, the man without honor, the king slayer and half crippled swords man. He was actually a tragic hero. Everything has its own explanation when it comes to the case of Jamie Lannister. Let’s look at it from point one to point last.
- He killed the mad king even when he was his hand.
The mad king actually had wild fire placed beneath all the major locations and landmarks of king’s landing, all across the city. Just one drop of fire, and the whole city of 1 million would have turned down to ashes. When the Baratheon army almost conquered the dragon house, the mad king knew its his time, at which point he commanded his confidant to light up the wild fire and burn everyone, every man woman and child in their own homes with in a second. A population of 1 million turned to ashes just because he won’t be able to rule them. When Jamie tried to stop him, the mad king asked him to go and bring him his(Jamie’s) father’s head. Of course its obvious Jamie killed him at the first chance. The king slayer.
2. He pushed Bran out of the window.
This was actually something he should not have done. But children talk, and it would have been completely possible that Bran told someone about the incest of Jamie and his sister, at which point Lord Eddard Stark wouldn’t have taken a breath’s time to let the king know of the same. Jamie’s and Cersie’s head would have been on a spike then. He did it for his family. Half-wrong, I guess.
3. He was the only one who supported Tyrion.
It’s no secret that the love between Tyrion and Jamie was legendary. Such an amazing depiction of brotherhood. He freed Tyrion, supported him all through his childhood, never cursed or judged him for his body, and even vouched for him to be left to the Night’s watch during Tyrion’s trial for the murder of Joffrey.
The mistakes of Jamie was that he was the most irresponsible person in Game of Thrones. Even when all his children(stupid Joff, wise Tomman, sweet Myrcella) were killed, he didn’t have a whiff of pain or guilt on his face whereas Cersie was sort of destroyed. He never cared about the consequences of his actions. His decisions were tumbling and not final. He left Cersie in the first place but then went back to her again and eventually got killed by Danny. Cersie eventually turned out to be sleeping with Euron Greyjoy, turning into a tyrant and dying along side his brother.
In a way, it was sort of Karma that eventually caught up with him and left him crippled with only left hand. With both hands, he would only have created more problems in GOT.
Rajat Upadhyay
You never ask questions, when god’s on your side